FOODIE FRIDAY - On the Sauce and feeling Saucy!

I went grocery shopping this past week-end.

I know that's pretty exciting news for you all.

I was doing the shopping during the week with the boys however after an incident that involved a tug-o-war, my 2 boys and a large bag of trail mix and ended with me threatening to take out 3 precious dollars from their piggy bank for wasting all those delicious nuts and dried fruit, I've been moving towards doing the food shopping on the week-ends.

There are other reasons too.

Such as:

1)  I get to peruse the aisles at my leisure without having anxiety that one of my boys is either going to: have a meltdown/has to go pee at the furthest point possible from the washroom/is attempting to climb the shelves/is trying to climb in/out of the cart/is trying to eat their way through the unpaid for food/are tormenting each other by pinching, pulling hair or hitting when my back is turned which leaves me uninformed as to who to yell at

2)  I get an hour away from the boys (I love them...but I spend enough time with them as it is ... 21.5/7 to be exact)

3)  I can buy a chocolate bar at the check out line and eat it without someone reaching/whining/begging for one too.

This particular day, as I'm standing....waiting...and waiting in line (you see, this is the downside of grocery shopping on the week-ends) I check my bb for....twitter, facebook, bbm's.

There is a text from my husband.

He made lunch for the boys while I was enjoying an hour of bliss to myself.  (yes, how sad that an hour in the grocery store is considered bliss to me...sad.  Oh so sad!)

I've mentioned a time or two before that my darling hubby doesn't like to cook.  BUT he makes a mean KD with ground beef and delicious perogies.

Unfortunately that's where the list of gourmet talent ends.

Unless you count chicken fingers.  And fries.

I love to cook and do so 98% of the time (the other 2 % we either don't have food and take out is on the menu or I'm feeling pissed off that I do all the cooking and decide to strike for a whole night (oh my, I really showed him!) OR we have Kraft Dinner mixed with beef or Perogies)

John made them chicken fingers and fries, which is a rare meal in our house but perfect in a pinch.  Especially when I'm not around.

And then this conversation happened around the kitchen table as they sit down to eat lunch...which is what the text from John involved.  (whew-that took a while to get here)

Adrian, "Mmmmm. Daddy this is really good.  You're a better cook than even Mummy."

John, "Really buddy?  Why's that?"

Adrian, "You're like a chef...no wait....you're like a Mommy Daddy chef all in one."

And then I'm sure my husband had a hernia laughing so hard.

I admit.  I might've guffawed a little bit in the grocery store line up.

But.  It was a bittersweet guffaw.

All my hard work, slaving over the stove, cooking healthy meals, sauces from scratch and it all goes out in a poof when my husband puts frozen, processed food on a tray and places it in the oven.

Which brings me to the elusive Foodie Friday recipe.  I've been sorely lacking in this department the past couple of weeks but I'm feeling lackluster in the kitchen as of late.

But today....today....I'm going to share with you my tomato sauce.  This sauce can be used for spaghetti, lasagna, chicken parmigiana.  Whatever Italian dish suits your fancy.   But if you ARE Italian and happen to be reading this, be aware that I am NOT so don't be all 'that's not the traditional Italian way of cooking tomato sauce' with your hands waving around all crazy Italian like.   Because I'm not.  Italian, that is.  But I do love you.  Tanto mio amico.  I have no idea if that makes one bit of sense in Italian.  But I'll blame Google for that.

JANUARY'S TOMATO SAUCE

2 cans of good quality tomatoes
1 large onion - diced
5 cloves garlic - chopped
1/2 jar of julienned sun dried tomatoes in oil
1 can of tomato paste
3 tbsp brown sugar
a pinch of cinnamon
1 tbsp dried basil (or a handful of fresh)
1 tbsp dried oregano (or a handful of fresh)
Salt and pepper to taste - please ensure that you DO add salt and pepper.

Directions

Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a large 2 handled pot (I don't know what these are actually called so I hope you know what I speak about).

Add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent.

Add the herbs and stir around with a wooden spoon.

Add the tomatoes but the key here is...if you are making it a few hours in advance (which I recommend) do NOT drain the juices.  BUT, if you will be serving it within the hour drain the juices.  It makes for a thicker, richer sauce.

Stir everything around for a few minutes.

Then add the tomato paste and sun dried tomatoes.

Stir, stir, stir.

Add the brown sugar and salt.

Stir, stir, stir some more.

If you are serving within the hour puree with a hand blender...if you do not have one go NOW and buy one.

If you are going to let it bubble away in contentment and make your house smell divine do NOT blend now.  Blend about 20 minutes before serving.

*TIP - add fresh ground pepper at the end otherwise it can make your dish have a bitter aftertaste*